Tending the Children
by Steph-Schell
Summary: "You killed it, you butcher it." Third in the "Tending" series. As always, fluff and INCEST. No flaming.


The quiet predawn stillness of the Matheson household was broken by a piercing yell. "Maggie! Maggie, get out here now!"

Miles nearly cursed as he heard his daughter stumbling around. "Margaret Annabelle Matheson, you have five minutes to be ready or I leave without you!"

"Can I come too, daddy?"

Miles turned to see Benny looking at him with Charlie's bright blue eyes. "How many times do you hit the target with your crossbow?" he asked.

"Five out of ten," Ben admitted.

"Then you're staying behind." Ben's face fell. He looked so like Charlie, even with Miles' dark hair, that Miles felt a tug on his heart strings. Miles grabbed the smaller crossbow that he had bought his son for his birthday. "Use this time to practice," he advised. "If you can get it up to seven out of ten, maybe you can come on the next hunt."

"You bet dad! I'll be lots better by the time you get back."

Miles gave him a thin smile. "I have to leave first. And to do that, your sister needs to get down here already."

"I'm here!" a bright voice called.

Miles turned. Margaret Annabelle Matheson was certainly his daughter. From her dark hair and eyes right down to her dark humor. The only things she had gotten from Charlie were her nose and her curls. "Morning sunshine," he greeted sarcastically. "So glad you could finally join us."

Maggie rolled her eyes. "I'm only two minutes late."

"We agreed four am," Miles snapped. "By rights, I should leave you here." Margaret's eyes widened. "Saddle up the horses," Miles ordered. Margret squealed as she hugged him. "I said saddle the horses, not attack me," Miles reminded her.

Margret jumped to her task while Miles got his gear ready. "Good luck dad," Benny told him.

Miles leaned down to kiss the top of his head. "I want you to keep the crossbow nearby. You look after your mother and Allison until I get back home, understood?"

"Promise!" Benny agreed enthusiastically.

Miles swung himself onto his horse. "Be good," he ordered before whistling to his horse. Maggie winked at her brother as she trotted off behind their father.

Miles led them at a quick pace to the grazing areas near the river that flowed just ten minutes from their home. There they dismounted and Miles showed her how to track good prey. "That's sage brush," he told her, pointing to some grass. "Mule deer are around here somewhere. Put an arrow in your bow."

Maggie unslung her long bow and did as he asked. "Why?"

"Saves time later. You need to be ready when you find what you're hunting. The more time you take to get your gear together, the longer they have to get away."

They crouched in the low brush to wait for the deer to come along. "Look, dad," Maggie started after they had been waiting a while.

"Shh," Miles shushed her, looking straight ahead. "I want you to very carefully, turn and look that way."

Maggie did as he asked. A full grown mule deer buck was just across from them. "Wow," Maggie breathed as the buck leaned down to drink from the river. "Aren't you going to…"

Miles didn't look away from their target. "Nope," he whispered.

"Nope?"

"Nope." He glanced at his daughter. "You are."

Maggie bit her lip to hold in the squeal of excitement that was threatening to bubble up. "What do I do?" she asked instead.

"Stand up, slowly," Miles told her. "That's it, nice and easy now." He noticed the deer twitching. "Freeze!" They both went still until the buck went back to drinking. "Alright now. Just pull back on the string. Line up with your cheek." Miles glanced at her. "Both eyes open, Margie, you'll shoot twice as good. That's a girl. Remember to let go as you exhale." He squeezed her shoulders. "Whenever you're ready."

Maggie waited two more beats before letting her arrow loose. It zipped through the air, hitting the buck right above his leg in the heart. "Kill shot!" Maggie crowed.

"That's my girl!" Miles grinned. "Couldn't of done it better myself." Maggie beamed at the praise. "Come on, let's load it up on the horses and see if we can find anything else before we head home."

They ended up with the buck and several rabbits for their troubles as they began to head back. Mile pulled up short as they neared the house. "What's up?" Maggie asked.

"How do you feel about coyote for dinner?" Miles unslung his bow.

Maggie glanced over and saw a coyote not far from them. "If you can catch it," she agreed.

Miles turned his horse in the direction of the coyote but the animal sensed them and tensed. Miles had no choice but to spur his horse to a gallop. The coyote took off but hadn't gotten more than ten steps before Miles was able to loosen three arrows into it's neck. He pulled close and killed it quick. Maggie helped him load up their new bounty and they galloped all the way home.

"That is some buck," Charlie greeted as the got to the barn.

"Your daughter took him down all on her own," Miles said proudly.

Charlie turned to the twelve year old who looked proud as a peacock. "Did you?'

"Yep. In one shot too."

"That's my girl," Charlie grinned. "We'll get a nice price for him."

Miles jumped off his horse and kissed Charlie soundly. "How do feel about cooking up coyote for supper tonight?"

"Did you catch one?"

Maggie swung off her horse. "Not only did he catch it, he did it while galloping at full speed. Mom, it was amazing."

Charlie laughed. "Coyote for supper it is then," she agreed. Before she could say more, Benny darted out.

"Dad's back!" he yelled, hugging his father around the middle. Miles ruffled his hair with a smile. "I'm up to six out of ten now, dad."

"Not bad. Keep practicing."

A squeal sounded and a mini Charlie came running for them. Eight year old Nora laughed as she was lifted into her father's arms. "Daddy!" she grinned.

"Did you grow while I was away?" Miles asked. "I swear, you're bigger than when I left."

"I'll be as big as you one day, daddy."

"That would be interesting," Miles agreed, winking at Charlie. "Alright, breakfast then butchering." He turned to Maggie. "You get to butcher the buck."

Maggie wrinkled her nose. "Ew. That's disgusting."

"You killed it, you butcher it."

"Yes, daddy," Maggie sighed.

Miles grinned as he followed his wife and children into the house. Damn but life was good.


End file.
